Superheroes whose queerness we need to see on the big screen soon

May 21, 2018

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Unless you’ve been living under vibranium for the past month, you would know that the perennial topic clouding everyone’s Facebook feed is the latest installment in the Avengers franchise, Avengers: Infinity War. One of the things that stands out about Infinity War is its gargantuan cast, as to be expected from the “most ambitious crossover event in history.” I mean, where else are you going to see the God of Thunder fighting alongside a racoon? And yet, despite all of this diversity, I found myself wondering one thing: where were the queer superheroes?

In this movie and pretty much every mainstream superhero movie I’ve seen, I’m always left wondering if queer people just didn’t get the memo on mutations or radioactive blessings in disguise. This is a pretty frustrating considering the array of amazing LGBTIQ+ superheroes to choose from in the comics universe.

As a reminder that we have come far, and yet still have a long way to go, here’s a roundup some of my favourite LGBTIQ+ superheroes that definitely deserve a spot on your shelf. Who knows, maybe you’ll catch one of these heroes saving the day on the big screen sometime soon, looking fabulous all the while, of course.

Image taken from dccomics.com

Batwoman

A perhaps less well-known, member of the famous Bat Family is Kate Kane, also known as Batwoman. Kate was a member of the US military when she was dismissed because of her relatioship with a woman. Despite this act of discrimination against her, she still found it within herself to fight evil as the cool, bad-ass lesbian she is. With her fierce red mane and killer fighting moves, Batwoman showed me that as a member of the LGBTIQ+ community, we can learn to transcend the hurt that the world throws at us and still choose to help people.

Image taken from cris-art.tumblr.com

Wiccan & Hulking

Founding members of the Young Avengers, Billy Kaplan and Teddy Altman are one of the few LGBTIQ+ couples in the Marvel Universe. They’ve quickly become fan favourites, with Tumblr folk praising not only their respective magical reality-warping and shapeshifting abilities, but also their cute AF couple moments. They were the first gay couple that I discovered in a comic book, and their courage, both as superheroes and as a queer couple, has always served as an inspiration to me and my boyfriend (wherever he may be).

Art by Leila Leiz, colors by Tamra Bonvillain. Image taken from autostraddle.com

Chalice

It’s taken far too long but Charlie Young, or Chalice, is one of the, if not the first, transgender superhero to be featured in a comic book. Despite her power to control gravity, Chalice still endures a lot of stress from having to carry the weight of leading a double life, one where she’s out and a superhero, and one where she’s not her true self. When I first read her story, I was struck by how real her problems were. I think most LGBTIQ+ people know what it feels like to be in a space where you can’t be completely yourself. And yet, Chalice showed me that we are more than just our problems, and that we all deserve a chance to be free.

Image taken from marvel.com

Iceman

Who knew that Bobby Drake, the lovable teen superhero we all crushed on back in middle school, actually played for our team? In a conversation with his younger, time-travelling self, it is revealed that the Iceman is actually totally gay. In hindsight, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, considering how many queer characters there are already in the X-Men universe (one issue had a gay wedding on its cover for crying out loud). On a personal note, this new side of Iceman reminded me a lot of my younger years, when I was still a baby gay trying to figure things out. In watching Iceman navigate his sexuality, and save the world at the same time, he showed me that there is still hope for all of us to find ourselves, no matter at what age (or reincarnation in the X-universe).

Digo Bengzon is an incoming college freshman. His friends say he is bold, passionate and loyal, much like a dog, or literally the best bitch you can ask for. In his spare time, he likes being salty about things that people should not be salty about.

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About Team

TEAM tackles how gay Filipino men relate their identity, from fuckups to fantasies, to where to go for music you can actually dance to. We may not have proper rights in our country but we’re claiming some authority by getting our words and ideas on page. And though we lack public places to convene, an open publication (and wide-open digital space) is a good place to start.